Originally known as Shenk's and later as Bomberger's, the whiskey company which ultimately became known as Michter's was founded by John Shenk, a Swiss Mennonite farmer, in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania in 1753. In 1989, with the entire American whiskey industry suffering a prolonged downturn, Michter's then-owners declared bankruptcy, but in the 1990s, Joseph J. Magliocco and his consultant and mentor Richard "Dick" Newman teamed up to resurrect Michter's.

Michter’s follows six production techniques that contribute to their signature style of whiskey. Their barrels are air dried for 18-60 months and toasted before they are charred to achieve richer flavor. Their distillate is barrelled at a lower 103 proof (51.5% ABV) level which creates a richer whiskey with less water added the day of bottling.

Michter’s also practices “heat cycling”, the process of first heating and later naturally cooling their warehouses during the winter months. Temperature fluctuations, such as the distinct seasonal changes that Kentucky experiences, cause pressure changes within the barrel that push whiskey into and out of the wood, which helps develop more flavor, color, and complexity.